The Red Badge Of Courage: A Soldier's Dilemma

The Evolution of the Mind of Henry Fleming The Red Badge of Courage is a historical fiction novel written by Stephen Crane. It takes place during the American Civil War and follows the journey of Henry Fleming, a young man who has enlisted in the war on the side of the Union. Over the course of the story, Henry changes tremendously, starting as a reasonably sane, rather prideful, but also fearful youth, and ending with considerable damage to his psyche, significant blows to his ego, but still having gained some courage. However, the most notable change throughout the book concerns Henry’s sanity, or lack thereof; this is the transformation that will be explored, and Henry’s evolution throughout the novel will be revealed.

In the slave narrative “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” Douglass lacks a great deal of courage at the beginning of the story. Douglass runs away in fear after a brutal beating from Mr. Covey. Douglass was so afraid and worried as to what might happen to him if he stays with Mr. Covey. In the film, The Red Badge of Courage, Henry has a similar experience. As Henry heads to the battlefield, fear overcomes him, he only had the courage to stay for the first leg of the battle because he soon flees the sight.

Henry decided to go back to the war and fight alongside his friends. Finally Henry in The Red Badge Courage is a good example of a person showing physical courage in a stressful situation like war. In both the “Life of Frederick Douglass” and The Red Badge of Courage there is also a common theme of Mental courage.

In the book Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane. The main character, Henry, has recently enlisted in the Union Army and during his second engagement flees from the battle. The thought of desertion has been a recent dilemma in the mind of young Henry, and he wasn 't sure if that when the time of battle came if he would stay and fight, or desert the battle. When the time comes the regiment Henry is in is told to hold the enemy forces back, and Henry displays courage during the first battle. But as they celebrate, more confederate troops come and a second battle ensues, from which Henry flees from.

Throughout The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane, Henry Fleming makes mistakes and has to relearn what he is capable of. His transgressions include running from a battle, abandoning a dying man, and lying to his comrades. Tim O’Brien defines what a true war story is in his book The Things They Carried, and states that, “A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior…” Although the youth makes many mistakes throughout The Red Badge of Courage, and many immoral acts are portrayed, it is not a true war story according to Tim O’Brien’s definition.

King Henry demonstrates to his men that he himself is not unwilling to die for England’s “cause”, and that such a death is honorable; establishing his character as belonging to a man who will not ask any other man to do that which he is not willing to do himself, to his men. This has an interesting effect on the

Henry claims “Give me liberty or give me death!” In this statement Henry symbolizes such a great extent of passion towards the fight for independence through that quote. He also states “What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased and slavery?”

But they put themselves in a level with wood and earth and stones [...] than men of straw or a lump of dirt’’. Henry’s ethos shows the audience of his strategy of going against the government corruption. Henry’s speech was well-planned out to shows his audience of his experience when rebelling the government; in addition, receiving forced punishment for not paying his poll-tax. He thought out things that made himself to commit this disobedience against the government and wanted to express his experience of his ideas and strategy to disobey the government.

His choice of language is effective at evoking emotion. Through rhetorical questions, Henry was able to emphasize his points, and grab the audience’s attention, creating an emotional effect on the listeners. “Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?” These statements prove the speaker’s argument and stir the audience’s emotions.

This makes us realize how close the soldiers are and how much they mean to each other. Reading this proves to us that Henry uses emotion to persuade the soldiers. Not only is there ethos and pathos in the text, but there are also

His well structured speech touched the people, gave them courage. Henry's speech made them consider he was right and war was soon to begin. Henry's use of of rhetorical devices helped make his speech more powerful. Henry’s use of ethos helps him gain people's trust and helps encourage them to do what is right.

The second novel “The Red Badge Of Courage” is during the Civil War. The union army rests along the river bank. Henry Fleming is apart of the 304th regiment and is a new recruit. There are some similarities and differences following the two. Most can not handle the difficulties that await them when they join the war.

In battle, there are many ways to be put in the wrong position. A few erratic decisions can cause lifelong problems. In “The Red Badge of Courage” Stephan Crane shows the many situations in battle during the Civil War in 1860. Henry Fleming, also known as “The Youth,” made many notable decisions that would consider him a coward rather than a hero. Henry demonstrates a coward because he ran during the battle, deserted the tattered soldier, and lied to the other soldiers.

In William Shakespeare’s Henry V, the character of King Henry delivers some powerful verbiage, known as St. Crispin’s Day Speech, to his troops in order to rally the men for battle. In this speech, King Henry chooses to invoke themes such as glory, religion, and comradery to make the battle they are about to fight immortal in the soldiers’ minds and to motivate them to fight together. These themes draw similar emotions in all men, no matter their background; all men have the need for honour, the urge to please the deity they believe in, and the need to trust in their fellow men. Every man wants his story to be remembered.

First person. For centuries the notion of war as an exciting and romantic endeavor has existed until Stephen Crane DE glorified war in his novel The Red Badge of Courage. He tells about the true nature and experience of war through a young soldier Henry Fleming and contrasts it with his romantic imagination. Crane introduces a more realistic approach to war which is in contrast to Henry’s expectations.